power of the Philistines, who oppressed them sorely and for a long period. But God of his own grace and mercy raised up unto them a deliverer. Other deliverers had been raised up at once, and at the precise time that the deliverance was to be effected: but, in the present instance, the person who was to be God's instrument of good to the nation, was not even conceived in the womb. He was to be born, as Isaac and Jacob had been, of a mother who was barren; in order that he might more eminently appear to be a special gift of God. "There was a man of the family of the Danites, whose name was Manoah: and his wife was barren, and bare not. And the Angel of the Lord appeared unto the woman, and told her, that she should conceive and bear a son," who should be devoted as a Nazarite to the Lord, and should in due time become, in part at least, a saviour to his country". The law relating to Nazarites required a total abstinence from wine, or strong drink, or from any thing unclean- And as his consecration to this state was to commence from his first formation in the womb, his mother was immediately to observe all that kind of abstinence which was required of the Nazarite himself, and to continue it till the child should be both born and weaned. This occurrence she mentioned to her husband, together with the charge given to herself respecting the abstinence that was required. Manoah, being strong in faith, entertained no doubt respecting the accomplishment of the Angel's words: but being desirous that the mercy intended to the nation should not be obstructed by any error or neglect on his part, he besought the Lord, that the same person should be sent to them again, to teach them more fully whatever was necessary for them to know, or do, respecting the child. visit was repeated, according to his desire; and the testimony was confirmed by a visible display of the divine power. Manoah, not knowing who this angel was, whether he was only a man, or an angel in human shape, or whether he was not the Angel of the Covenant, even the Son of God himself in human shape, requested permission to set before him a banquet, or an offering, as might be most suited to his character: but when he had presented an offering, fire, probably from the rock or from heaven, consumed the sacrifice; and the Angel ascended in the flame to heaven; and thereby testified the acceptance both of their persons and their sacrifice.] Let us now notice, II. The effect produced upon them The Great was the faith both of Manoah and his wife but she, being the more eminent of the two, a ver. 2-5. b Numb. vi. 2-8. c ver. 6, 7. experienced a very different effect. The revelation produced, 1. In Manoah, fear [He now perceived and knew, that the person who had announced these tidings to him was God, in human shape: and therefore he conceived that both he and his wife must die. This idea was not without some foundation; for, when Moses had entreated the Lord to shew him his glory, the Lord said to him, "Thou canst not see my face; for there shall no man see me and live:" and for this very reason God put him into a clift of a rock, and permitted him to see, as it were, only "his back parts." And, when Jacob had been favoured with a visit from the same divine person in the shape of an angel, he expressed his astonishment that "his life was preserved.' Indeed, when only an angel has appeared to some of the most distinguished servants of the Almighty, they have been so agitated, as scarcely to retain possession of their minds. We wonder not therefore at his apprehensions; but we the more admire the composure of his wife.] 2. In his wife, confidence [She argued in a very different way. She considered the mercies already vouchsafed to them as tokens for good: for why should God confer such singular honour upon them, if he intended to kill them? Why did he accept at their hands the burnt-offering? Why did he stoop to give them such information? Why give them such gracious promises? Was all this done to mock them? Indeed, if he should kill them, how could the promises be fulfilled? or for what purpose were they given? This was a just mode of arguing; for such mercies were both evidences, and pledges, of his love: and therefore were rather to be considered as earnests of future blessings, than as harbingers of ill. This was precisely the view which Paul entertained of the mercies conferred on him by God, "who," says he, "delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver: in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us:" and it is the true light in which every instance of his goodness should be considered.] Let us LEARN then from hence, 1. To guard against low and unworthy thoughts of God [It is really no uncommon thought, even among good people, that their blessings are too great to be of any long d Exod. xxxiii. 20-23. Judg. vi. 22. Rev. xix. 10. VOL. III. F e Gen. xxxii. 29, 30. g 2 Cor. i. 10. duration. This sentiment does not arise from a view of the instability of human affairs, but from an apprehension that a continuance of their blessings is too great a thing to expect even from God himself, and that his grace, though rich, is not sufficiently extensive for such a gift. But how dishonourable is this to God! and what an unworthy return for all his goodness to us! Why should we entertain such a suspicion? why should we harbour such ungenerous thoughts? why should we so limit his glorious perfections? Let such apprehensions be checked in their very first rise; and let us remember that his disposition to give exceeds our utmost capacity to receiveh.] 2. To make a just improvement of the mercies he bestows upon us— [We shall do well to magnify the grace of God in our thoughts, and to inculcate upon others the same heavenly disposition. See how David argued, on a review of his past mercies; "Thou hast delivered my soul from death: wilt thou not deliver my feet from falling, that I may walk before God in the light of the livingi?" And, when under peculiar temptation he was led to doubt the continuance of God's goodness to him, he checked himself, by calling to mind the marvellous mercies that had already been vouchsafed unto him*. Nor is it for the comfort only of the person himself that God imparts these glorious hopes, but for the encouragement of others also: and this was the improvement which St. Paul made of his own happy experience1. Only let it be recollected what God has done for us, in giving up his Son to the accursed death of the cross; and can we then limit his tender mercies? can we doubt his willingness to give us any thing elsem? Whether therefore it be for the comfort of our own minds, or for the encouragement of others, this is the thought which we should ever bear in remembrance, and enlarge our own expectations from God in proportion as he multiplies his benefits to us: we should look on all present blessings as the first-fruits that precede the harvest, or as the drop before the shower.] h Eph. iii. 20. 1 2 Cor. i. 3, 4. i Ps. lvi. 13. CCLXXIV. SAMSON'S RIddle. k Ps. lxxvii. 7—11. Judg. xiv. 12-14. And Samson said unto them, I will now put forth a riddle unto you: if ye can certainly declare it me within the seven days of the feast, and find it out, then I will give you thirty sheets and thirty change of garments: but if ye cannot declare it me, then shall ye give me thirty sheets, and thirty change of garments. And they said unto him, Put forth thy riddle, that we may hear it. And he said unto them, Out of the eater came forth meat, and out of the strong came forth sweetness. OF all the Judges that were in Israel, there was not one who committed so many faults, or by whom God wrought so many miracles, as Samson. His character is dark and inexplicable; insomuch that, if he had not been celebrated in the New Testament as an eminent Believer, we might reasonably have doubted whether he was possessed of any true piety. It must be recollected however, that his history is very short, and that the peculiarity of the dispensation under which he lived may account for many things, which, if done at this time and without the special appointment of Heaven, would be highly criminal. Besides, there might be in him many exercises of true piety, which, if they had been recorded, would have reflected a different light upon his character. The circumstances of his birth we have noticed: those of his marriage are next to be considered. We cannot approve his conduct in connecting himself with a Philistine woman, though we commend it highly in not forming that connexion without having first obtained the consent of his parents. It should seem as if his choice was sanctioned by God, because we are told, that "it was of the Lord that he sought an occasion against the Philistines"." But this circumstance does not necessarily make the action good: it may be that God only overruled the evil propensities of Samson, to accomplish his own purposes against the oppressors of his people". However, in going down with his parents to Timnath, where the woman lived, he turned aside from them into a vineyard, and, when separated from them, was attacked by a young lion; whom, though unarmed, he rent, as easily as he would have rent a kid. This he did through the mighty power of God: yet though the exploit was so astonishing, he b See Josh. xi. 20. 1 Kings xii. 15. e ver. 6. a ver. 4. concealed it utterly from his parents, and proceeded with them as though nothing particular had happened unto him. What a rare instance of modesty was this! How few people are there in the world, who, if they had performed such an act, could have suffered it to remain hid from their dearest friends! Having obtained the consent of the woman, he returned home, and, after a time, went to Timnath with his parents again, in order to take her for his wife and complete the nuptials. In his way, he turned aside again, to view the lion, whom he had slain. His intention probably was, to revive in his soul a sense of the divine goodness to him, in having vouchsafed him so signal a deliverance: but behold, to his utter astonishment, he found a swarm of bees and honey in the carcase of the lion. Upon this he took of the honey, and ate it, and gave it to his parents; but still concealed the miracle which had been wrought in his favour. Every thing being prepared for the nuptials, he, according to the custom of the country, made a feast of seven days' continuance, at which thirty young men of the Philistines attended as his friends and companions. On this occasion he proposed to them a riddle, which will be profitable for our present consideration. We will consider it, I. As proposed on that occasion In the proposing of it we see no evil whatever [There was nothing improper in the riddle itself; it had nothing of an unbecoming nature couched under it; and it served as a trial of their ingenuity, and as an occasion of innocent mirth. Indeed its ultimate design was good, inasmuch as it would of necessity lead to a disclosure of the miracle that had been wrought, and consequently to a display of the power and goodness of Israel's God. J But the manner of proposing it was replete with evil [A wager was laid with all the thirty companions respecting it: and that wager was in itself evil, as being both the root |